Utah lemon law

The Utah lemon law is a state lemon law that protects consumers.  You can click here for an intro to better understand the lemon law.

The Utah lemon law covers only new vehicles purchased or leased in the state and it doesn't include motorcycles, truck tractors, farm tractors, road tractors, or 'those portions of a motor home designated, used or maintained primarily as a mobile dwelling, office or for commercial purposes.' The Utah lemon law also excludes mobile homes or any motor vehicles with a GVWR of over 12,000 lbs.

In order to to eligible to seek retribution under the Utah lemon law, a vehicle owner must have made 4 repair attempts on a recurring defect, or been off the road for 30 or more business days during the express warranty period or 1 year, whichever occurs first.

Here is the Utah lemon law in its entirety:

Utah Lemon Law

13-20-1. Short title. This chapter is known as the "New Motor Vehicles Warranties Act."

Enacted by Chapter 168, 1985 General Session

13-20-2. Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Consumer" means an individual who has entered into an agreement or contract for the transfer, lease, or purchase of a new motor vehicle other than for purposes of resale, or sublease, during the duration of the period defined under Section 13-20-5.

(2) "Manufacturer" means manufacturer, importer, distributor, or anyone who is named as the warrantor on an express written warranty on a motor vehicle.

(3) "Motor home" means a self-propelled vehicular unit, primarily designed as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreational, and vacation use.

(4) (a) "Motor vehicle" includes:

(i) a motor home, as defined in this section, but only the self-propelled vehicle and chassis sold in this state; and

(ii) a motor vehicle, as defined in Section 41-1a-102, sold in this state.

(b) "Motor vehicle" does not include:

(i) those portions of a motor home designated, used, or maintained primarily as a mobile dwelling, office, or commercial space;

(ii) farm tractor, motorcycle, road tractor, or truck tractor as defined in Section 41-1a-102;

(iii) mobile home as defined in Section 41-1a-102; or

(iv) any motor vehicle with a gross laden weight of over 12,000 pounds, except a motor home as defined under Subsection (3).

Amended by Chapter 21, 1999 General Session

13-20-3. Nonconforming motor vehicles - Repairs.

If a new motor vehicle does not conform to all applicable express warranties, and the consumer reports the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer during the term of the express warranties or during the one-year period following the date of original delivery of the motor vehicle to a consumer, whichever is earlier, the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer shall make repairs necessary to conform the vehicle to the express warranties, whether or not these repairs are made after the expiration of the warranty term or the one-year period.

Enacted by Chapter 168, 1985 General Session

13-20-4. Nonconforming motor vehicles - Replacement - Refund - Criteria - Defenses.

(1) If the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer is unable to conform the motor vehicle to any applicable express warranty by repairing or correcting any defect or condition that substantially impairs the use, market value, or safety of the motor vehicle after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer shall replace the motor vehicle with a comparable new motor vehicle or accept return of the vehicle from the consumer and refund to the consumer the full purchase price including all collateral charges, less a reasonable allowance for the consumer's use of the vehicle. Refunds shall be made to the consumer, and any lienholders or lessors as their interests may appear.

(2) A reasonable allowance for use is that amount directly attributable to use by the consumer prior to his first report of the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer, and during any subsequent period when the vehicle is not out of service because of repair.

(3) Upon receipt of any refund or replacement under Subsection (1), the consumer, lienholder, or lessor shall furnish to the manufacturer clear title to and possession of the motor vehicle.

(4) It is an affirmative defense to any claim under this chapter:

(a) that an alleged nonconformity does not substantially impair the consumer's use of the motor vehicle and does not substantially impair the market value or safety of the motor vehicle; or

(b) that an alleged nonconformity is the result of abuse, neglect, or unauthorized modifications or alterations of a motor vehicle by a consumer.

Enacted by Chapter 168, 1985 General Session

13-20-5. Reasonable number of attempts to conform.

(1) It is presumed that a reasonable number of attempts have been undertaken to conform a motor vehicle to the applicable express warranties, if:

(a) the same nonconformity has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer within the express warranty term or during the one-year period following the date of original delivery of the motor vehicle to a consumer, whichever is earlier, but the nonconformity continues to exist; or

(b) the vehicle is out of service to the consumer because of repair for a cumulative total of 30 or more business days during the warranty term or during the one-year period, whichever is earlier.

(2) The term of an express warranty, the one-year period, and the 30-day period shall be extended by any period of time during which repair services are not available to the consumer because of a war, invasion, strike, fire, flood, or other natural disaster.

Enacted by Chapter 168, 1985 General Session

13-20-6. Enforcement - Limited liability of dealer - No limit on other rights or remedies.

(1) The Division of Consumer Protection shall, or a consumer may, enforce the rights created under this chapter. An action may be commenced by a consumer only after the claim has been investigated and evaluated by the division.

(2) This chapter may not be interpreted as imposing any liability on an authorized dealer or creating a cause of action by a consumer against a dealer under this chapter, except regarding any written express warranties made by the dealer apart from the manufacturer's own warranties.

(3) This chapter does not limit the rights or remedies which are otherwise available to a consumer under any other law.

(4) In an action initiated under this section by the consumer, the court may award attorneys' fees to the prevailing party.

Amended by Chapter 249, 1990 General Session

13-20-7. Use of dispute settlement procedure.

If a manufacturer has established an informal dispute settlement procedure which complies with Title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 703, then Section 13-20-4 concerning refunds or replacement does not apply to any consumer who has not first resorted to this procedure.

R152-20-1. Authority and Purpose.

These rules are promulgated to prescribe for the administration of Title 13, Chapter 20, the New Motor Vehicle Warranties Act (hereinafter the "Act"), and are under the authority granted the Division under Section 13-2-5.

R152-20-2. Definitions.

A. For purposes of determining whether a nonconformity has been subject to repair the required number of times, an "attempt" to repair, as used in Section 13-20-4 or 13-20-5, means that the vehicle is or has been presented to the manufacturer or its agent for the same non-conformity.

B. "Collateral charges" as used in Section 13-20-4 includes, but is not limited to:

1. Sales taxes

2. Document preparation fees

3. The cost of additional warranties or extended warranties, if included in the purchase price

C. "Comparable new motor vehicle" means:

1. A motor vehicle that is determined by the division to be identical to, or reasonably equivalent to, the nonconforming vehicle had it conformed to all applicable express warranties. A comparable new motor vehicle includes any service contracts, contract options, and factory or dealer installed options that were originally included in the sale of the nonconforming vehicle; or

2. A vehicle with an equivalent retail value including any service contracts, and factory or dealer installed options that were originally included with the nonconforming vehicle, if the consumer consents to a different make or model.

D. "New motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle which has never been titled or registered and has been driven fewer than 7,500 miles.

E. "Nonconforming vehicle" means a motor vehicle that does not meet all express warranties provided in the sales agreement or contract.

F. "Purchase price" means the actual amount paid for the vehicle. "Purchase price" includes taxes, licensing fees, and additional warranty fees, but does not include collateral charges.

G. "Reasonable allowance" for mileage means the dollar value based on the prescribed deduction per mile. The cap on a reasonable allowance shall be calculated as the purchase price divided by 100,000, but shall not in any case be less than ten (10) cents per mile nor more than twenty-one (21) cents per mile. The consumer shall not be liable for mileage on the vehicle at the time of delivery, nor for mileage during the time the vehicle was being repaired.

R152-20-3. Replacement or Refund of Nonconforming Motor Vehicles.

A. When the manufacturer is repurchasing a nonconforming motor vehicle that has been leased to a consumer, the following provisions also apply:

1. The manufacturer shall refund to the lessor all payments made under the lease.

2. The refund or repurchase price shall include trade-in value, inception payment, and security deposit.

3. The manufacturer shall make all payments on behalf of the lessee, to the lessor and/or lienholder of record as necessary to obtain clear title to the motor vehicle. The excess from said payments shall be paid to lessee. Upon the lessor's and/or lienholder's receipt of the payment, the consumer shall be relieved of any future obligation to the lessor and/or lienholder.

B. If a manufacturer is unable to provide a comparable new motor vehicle, it may provide, upon the consent of the consumer, a replacement vehicle of comparable quality. The customer shall not incur additional expense with respect to the replacement vehicle, except as a reasonable allowance for use of the buy-back vehicle.

This rule is authorized by, and implements or interprets, the following: 63-46a-3, 13-2-5, 13-20-1

Utah consumers are protected by the Utah lemon law.